Comment by tcj_phx | Hacker News Reader

Comment by tcj_phx | Hacker News Reader

Tobacco does have medicinal properties. For example, many psychiatric patients smoke a lot [0]. I propose they use nicotine to counter-act some of the terrible drugs they're forced to take.

[0] https://slatestarcodex.com/2016/01/11/schizophrenia-no-smoki...

Nicotene is a partial substitute for Niacin (Vitamin B-3). Niacinamide sometimes helps people reduce their tobacco intake.

The first generation anti-depressants were the Mono Amine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs). Tobacco has MAOI-like effects too.

I think tobacco is also an anti-estrogen... Aromatase inhibitor: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2904480/

Compulsions have to be considered in context: people get benefits from tobacco that they do actually need. My friend (a misdiagnosed 'psych patient') took up smoking when she was 12, probably because she was depressed.

Edit: submission of a CS montior link about this same news item: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=29500610

Heroin has medicinal properties too. That doesn't mean any 16 year old should be allowed to purchase it over the counter for whatever ailment they think it may treat.

Nicotine is one of the most reinforcing substances we know of, and can be as difficult to kick as a cocaine or heroin habit. It easily removes a decade from your lifespan and reduces the quality of the remaining years.

I am not a psychiatrist, but my degree is in neuroscience. It's not 100% clear why some clinical populations are overrepresented amongst nicotine users. You offer an explanation but there are many more and some are at odds with one another.

If it's because of medicinal benefits, isolating those is preferable to getting tar in your lungs. If it's because people with conditions like schizophrenia are less supported, predisposing them to substance abuse, having a legal and extremely addictive substance at any store or gas station would make it worse.

Makes no sense to me given how most governments treat cannabis, psilocybin, LSD, etc. which are much safer and less habit forming (and have much better medicinal applications)

I have known several people who smoked tobacco to help suppress schizophrenic symptoms. The drugs prescribed for that are very unsatisfactory.

Arguably, nicotine patches should be available over the counter. Nobody would use them unless they need them.

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